Process of manufacturing gas



May 6 1924.

I Y W. E. TRENT PROCESS oF MANUFACTURING GAS Filed A112. 31. 1922 2 SheetsfSheet 1 W. E. TRENT PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING GAS Filed Aug. 31. 1922 2 Shoots-Sheet 2 akamu,

A the Water gas, thereby eliminating or maf Patented May 6, 1924.

iiNi'iiao l STATES PATENT orties.

WALTER TRENT, OF WASHINGTON, `DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. l

PROCESS OF MANUFACTRING GAS.

Application led August 31, 1922. ISerial No. 585,385.

The invention relates to a 'process for man- 4 iifactiiring combustible gases. y

It is an object of the invention to provide a process for manufacturing evolved water gas wherein a bed of coke and substantially all of the hydrocarbon content of the fuel employed lis used as a coa-l gas for enriching tei'ially reducing the quantity of hydrocarbon oils\ now generally used in the carburation of blue water gas made with substantially non-volatile coals. The production of the enriched water gas by my process is accomplished by first subjecting fresh carbonaceous fuel to the heat of generated water gas to gasify the volatiles thereof forming a combined coal and water gas and a coke residue which is thereafter usedas a water gas making fuel.

In the preferred practice of my invention I employ a series of fuel containers successivelyused for carburetting and gasmaking purposes. In operation acontainer havin a supply of coke is subjected to the usua alternate air and steam run such as now universally practiced in the manufacture of water gas. During an air run the fuel is discharged to a siiperheater and then passes to a stack, while during a steam run the decomposed steam or water gas is introduced and passes through a communicating'container having a mass of fresh fuel with a hydrocarbon content to cause a vaporization of the volatiles therein which mix with and enrich the hot waterl gas. The alternate air The alternateuse of the containers first as a water gas generator, then as a carburetor is-cntinued throughout the operation of the process, thereby gpermitting the fuel j that is used to be properly robbed of its volj atiles for enriching the water gas with coal gases before said fuel as a coke mass is subjected to the action of steam-for the-production' of the usual blue watergas.`

As a fuel for the production of the combined coal and Water gas various carbon and hydrocarbon substances may be employed.

I preferably, however, use a composite fuel of a'plastic consistency composed of finely comminuted coal and hydrocarbon oil with or without a small content of water. These substances are' usually in such definite proportions as to form a, plastic mass through which there can be formed a seriesA of vertical openings to be used as gas passageways. The fuel herein described may beproduced in the manner disclosed in my Patent No. 1,420,164.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown one embodiment of this invention',v

capable `of supporting the process, in which Figure 1 illustrates a top plan view.

Figure 2 is a side elevation; and,

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of one of the receptacles. i

Referring .now more particularly t0 the drawings wherein like referenceV characters indicate corresponding parts, the numerals 1 and 2 designate a pair of containers, two being shown in `the present disclosure, although it will be understood that any number may be used. These containers are each mounted upon suitable supports, the containeril being mounted upon asupport 3 while the container 2 is mounted upon a support 4. Inasmuch as the construction of both of the supports is identical, a description of one will sutlice for both. Eachsupport -is preferably composed of concrete or the like having upstanding walls 5 and a partition 6 forming therein the chambers 7 landk8. The upstanding portions5 of the supports constitute seats upon which the containers 1 and 2 are mounted.

These containers are of a similar construcon the removable tops of the container and to form therebetween a water seal. The

er is preferably' iio lower portion of the wall of each container is likewise provided with a flange 8 seated within a U-shaped member 9 mounted upon the upstanding portions 5 of eachd of the supports 3 and 4 so as to provide a water seal at the lower part of the container. Each container is also fcrmed with the bottom 10 having perforations 11 therein, said perforaticns being adapted to align with the vertical passagev 12 passing through the fuel 13 in each conta-incr. In the disclosure in Figure 1 the container 2 is disclosed as being a water gas making container while the container 1 has just received a supply of fresh carbonaceous fuel. The fresh carbonaceous fuel of this container is preferably an amalgamated substance of finely pulverized coal and oil of a consistency resembling that of motar having the passageways 12 which have been formed therein for the use of mandrels or the like which provide apertures for the passages of gases intr-oduced to said fuel from the container 2 in a manner which will hereinafter appear.\

As the volatiles are renieved the mass cokes or fuses, but still largely retains the apertures 12 when coked.

Communicating with the bases 3 and 4 of the containers 1 and 2 is an air feeding pipe 15, the same having a branch 1'6 controlled by the valve 17 leading to the chamber 8 of the base 4'a11'd a branch 18 ccntrolled by the valve 19 leading to the chamber 8 of the base 3. By the proper manipulation of these valves air may be admitted to either one of the containers 1 or 2 depending upon which container is being used as a water gas generator, the air passing up through the fuel in a container, then downwardly therethrough and into one of the chambers 7 where it is discharged, in a manner which will later appear. A valve control connection 20 also leads from the base to the base 4. Positioned adjacent .the

containers 1 and 2 is a superheater 21, a connection 22 leading thereto from the chamber 7 of the base 3 having a valve 23 for controlling the same while a connection 24 leads to the superheater from the chamber 7 of the base 4 and controlledby the valve 25. This superheater is of the usual and well known construction having an overlying stack 26 and theusual blow-ofi` valve at the top thereof. The upper portion of the. superheater by means of the pipe 27 leads to a separator 28 from which the gases pass from the pipe 29, to a main 30 communicating with anv type of gas storage receiver. The bases 3 and 4 of the conminers 1 and 2 also receive steam conveying pipes 31 and 32 respectively controlled by the valves 33 and 34. Steam is admitted to these pipes through the common steam feed pipe 35 and enters each base opposite the side the air is introduced by the air feed pipes` 16 and 18. lt will be observed that the steam enters the chamber-,7 in each base while the air enters the chamber 8.`

l't is one of the salient objects of this invention to manufacture enriched water gas by utilizing the volatiles of the fuel employed for the purpose of enriching the gas thereby eliminating 'or materially reducing the quantity of oil heretofore used for carburetting the gas.

ln 'accordance with thisy process l contem plate imparting to thewater gas practically all of the gases or volatiles of the coal. As shown in the drawings. the container 1 has therein a supply of fresh carbonaceous fuel, preferably an amalgamatefl substance as manufactured'in accordance with my process disclosed by Patent No. 1,420,164, with the cord openings or passages 12extendng therethrough. The container 1, --however,

has therein a coked residue, or in otherv words, the residue resulting from the ordinary fresh fuel that had been placed therein and from which fuel the volatiles have y been removed by a previous operation when said container was being employed to receive and carburet the water gas rather than as a water gas generator. However, in the operation of this illustration ofl my process air is admitted to the container 2 through the pipe 16, the same entering the chamber 8 of the base of the container, passing upwardly therethrough into ythe container closure 7 and thence downwardly through said coke mass in the container'into the chamber 7, 'discharging through the pipe 24 by the opening of the valve 25 into the superheater 21 from where the same passes out into the usual stack. During this air blow the valve in the connection 20 is closed so that` of course, none of the air can pass intothe container 1. This air blow will place the coke in the container 2 in an incandescent state and is then discontinued in the usual-manner by the closure of thevalve 17. Y Steam isr fill container 2, passing upwardly through the incandescentbed of coke, and then downwardly through said bed into the chamber 8. At this time the valve 25 is closed and the valve in the connection 2G- opened causing the blue water gas to Ipass into the chamber 8 of the base 3 of the container 1 upwardly through the apertured bottom of the container and through the cord openings 12 therein which hot gas serves fo gasify or vaporize the rich volatiles in the fresh fuel of the container,whichivolatiles materially enrich the blue water gas. The water gas passes upwardly through the fuel and then downwardly through the same into the chamber 7 of the base of container 3, discharging from said chamber through just described is repeated until the bed f fuel in the container 2 becomes incandescent whereupon a second steam run 1s resorted to. s l v It will be 'clearly apparent that during the Aair run the heated air is discharged directly -in the usual manner.

the massof fresh fuel therein, the hot gas vaporizing or gasifying the. volatiles thereof, and out Vthrough the chamber 7 ofthe base through the pipe 24 in which the valve 25 has been opened, and into the 70 4 superheater 21 from where it is discharged These runs are, of course. continued until the-volatiles of the fresh fuel Yin. the container 2 `have been gasifed.

In the apparatus disclosing a means for carrying out this process I have only shown two Ycontainers in series, but it will be understood that any 'number `of containers may be employed, and that said containers may be movably mounted if desired, so as to be into the superheater to heat the same, and progressively moved from carburetting zones does not at any time come m contact wlth /to water gas making zones. The essentlal the fresh fuel in the container 1. It is only the decomposed steam that is admitted to this container. The alternate air and steam runs are carried on until the bed ofcoke in the container 2 has been largely used, and until the Volatile content of the charge in the container 1 has been fullyl gasified, and a residue left in this chamber consisting of coke. At this period the coke in the container 2 is removed and a new supply of fresh fuel is introduced thereto having formed therein the cord openings. The coke removed from the container 2 is useful for any desired purpose and may be employed wherever preferable. When this coke has been removed and a new supply of fresh fuel introduced thereto the container 2 no longer acts' as the water gas generator, but

becomes a carburetting container, acting in the `manner of the container 1 in the previous operation. When said container2 has been filled with its fresh fuel then the coke residuein the container 1 is heated by an air run due to the opening in the valve 19 in the air feed connection 18, the yair entering the chamber 8 of the base of this container,

passing upwardly through the coked` mass therein, thence downwardly into the chamber 7 out through the pipe 22 of the opening of the valve 23, and into the superheater 1 from where it is discharged. During this operation the valve in the connection 20 is, of course, closed. When the coke reaches an incandescent state, then the air supply is discontinued, and the valve`23 is closed while the valve in the connection 20 is opened. Steam is then admitted through the steam feed 31 by an opening of the valve 33, the same entering the chamber 7 of the base ofl container 3 passing u wardly through the incandescent coke an feature of this invention in all instances resides in a process by which the water gas is enriched from volatiles removed from the a fuel used in manufacturing such gas and it is intended that the accompanying claims be construed to broadly cover a process for accomplishing this end. The containers may y vary in capacity and as an' illustration may use a container having from l150 to 300 pounds of fresh fuel.4 The temperature of the coke in a water gas making container may also vary, but usually after an air blow a temperature of 1400 F., is attained. `'The water gas imparts a temperature to the fresh y fuel in a succeeding container acting as a carburetor which may vary from substantially abovefatmospheric to 1400 F., as the 100 operations proceed. l

Having thus described what I claim is:

1. The process of producing an enriched water gas comprisingV successively admitting steam and air to a water gas making container having a charge of coke therein, formed with a plralit of open-ended ver'- tical lues extendin t erethrough, in discharging the heate blast gases during an 11o air blow to a superheater, in passing the water gas `produced during a gas making eriod 1n the container to a second container aving a fuel charge formed with a plurality of vertical ilues extending ytherethrough,.114i said charge containing volatiles to beremoved by said water as to enrich the same, in passing the enric ed gas through the superheater, and in then collecting the same.

2. The process of producing enriched '120 water gas, comprising a ternately admitting Y my invention,

steam and air to a water gas making conin said second container after the removal of the volatiles for the production of Water gas by introducing alternate supplies of air and steam thereto, and in enriching the gas thus produced by passage through a new fuel charge replacing the discharged coke in a previous gas making container.

3. The process of producing Water gas, comprising alternately admitting air and steam to a Water gas making container having a charge of coke therein formed with a plurality of Vertical iues extending therethrough, in passing the Water gas produced from said charge during a gas making period through a charge of fresh fuel in a second container to vaporize volatiles therein to enrich the Water gas, said charge being of a plastic consistency and having a luraility of vertical passageways exten ing therethrough, in continuing the alternate air and steam runs through said first mentioned container, and the passage of water gas through the second container until the volatiles have been largely removed from the fuel charge in the second container, in thenvdischarging the residue from the first mentioned container, and in introducing air and steam to said carbonized residue in said second container, and in passing the water gas produced therein through a fresh fuel charge in said first mentioned container.

4. The process of manufacturing Water gas, comprising alternately introducing air and steam to a container having a charge of coke therein provided with open-ended vervtical finesy extending therethrough, in passing the heated blast gases during an air run therethrough into a superheater and then discharging the same, in passing Water gas produced during a steam run through a second container having a bonded fuel charge of fine carbonaceous fuel and oil, said mass being formed with a plurality of vertical passageways through which said Water gas passes to vaporize the volatiles in the mass to enrich the Water gas and in discharging the enriched Water gas to the superheater, and in then collecting the same.

5. rIhe process of manufacturing water gas, comprising alternately introducing air and steam to a container having a charge of coke therein'provided with a plurality of separated open-ended passageways through which said air and steam pass, in introducing heated blast gases from said container during an air run therethrough into a superheater and then discharging the same, in passing water gas produced durin a steam run through a second container aving a bonded mass of fuel therein consisting of finely pulverized coal and oil provided withi a plurality of formed passageways therein, through which passageways said water gas passes to vaporize the volatiles in said mass in discharging the enriched water gas to the superheater, and in then collecting the Same, in continuing the alternate air and gas runs through a iven container until the fuel therein has een largely consumed and the fuel in the carburetting container robbed of' its volatiles, in thereafter discharging the residue from the Water gas making container as coke, in alternately introducing air and steam to said container previously acting as a carburetor, and in passing the water gas thus produced therein through a new charge of fuel.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature.

WALTER EDWIN TRENT. 

